Not the Way of a Gentleman
by Jarjarblinx1
Summary: Set in 2050, the world has been taken over by vampires. In England, the humans can live in peace in the South. In the North, they work in factories for their vampire masters. Annie Sawyer, a human is forced to leave her home in the South to live in the dreaded North. There, she meets John Mitchell, a gruff vampire master with a kind soul. Being Human AU, AnniexMitchell
1. Chapter 1

**England, Year 2050**

Annie Sawyer looked out of the train window, watching as the trees raced by, eventually being replaced by steel and brick. Closing her eyes, she basked in the sunlight that streamed in, bathing her mocha skin in warmth. She wanted to enjoy it, before it was replaced by smoky darkness. She wanted to complain, she knew she had the right. Her whole life, Annie had only known the calm green fields and forests of Willowpoint, a small town in Southern England. All of her friends were there as well as her family home. Everything she had ever known was slowly falling behind as the train kept chugging ahead.

Being a young woman of 23, Annie was considered to be in the prime of her life. In the South, her age meant that she could work or marry. She could have a family with children and a house of her own. While many of her girlfriends had dreamed of the day when they would be free to leave a home and make one of their own, Annie had always felt a quiet contentedness to remain at home with her mom and dad.

Things were much different in the North. To begin with, the population of the North wasn't exactly ordinary. In fact, they were supernatural. 25 years ago, vampires had "come out" to humans and had effectively taken over. In many countries, the vampires had almost wiped out humans. In England, the humans were relegated to designated locations, mainly in the South. Indeed, the North was not the best place to be if you were an English human. The vampires there were cold and hard, taking on humans as workers in their factories; that was a desired fate.

For people around Annie's age, life became tougher. If the vampire master was good and merciful, a person could expect to live the rest of their lives within the safe walls of the factory. Workers were given pay and homes to live in; they were also given patches to put on their clothes, clearly marking them to other vampires as off-limits. If a master was cruel, prime age was not something to look forward to. Some of these unfortunates were sent to bloodletters; these people were drained of blood at a fast rate by painful procedures and rarely ever lived to see another year. Others were taken by their masters as personal beverages. These people were allowed to live in the master's house, but they too also rarely saw another year.

Annie didn't know why her father had felt compelled to drag them to such an awful place. They would be forced into servitude or worse, and he didn't seem to mind one bit. Annie quickly wiped a tear from her eye and looked down at the small flower in her blue hand. She would miss these flowers, dearly. She would miss watching them bud and open every spring on the fence around their house. She would miss the sun on her face as she lay on the grass beneath the trees. There was none of that in the North. Only smoke, blood, and death.

"We will be dead before the year is out, mark my words. Your father will be killed by one of his pupils for teaching them what they already know and probably lived; I will be forced to serve some _creature_ their morning blood. And what about our Annie? Our lovely darling girl? She's at prime age now. She'll be forced to work in one of those horrible factories, or worse. There are no kind masters in the North, I well know. We will all be dead within the year!"

Without turning from the window, Annie grumbled. "Mom, it'll be alright. We'll find a house and do what we can. We are here now, so there's no point in grousing. All we can do is work with what we have."

"I know that dear, but just think. We will never see our lovely Willowpoint again. No more birds, no more grass, no more sun, no more life. For the rest of our lives, we'll be in constant fear of those bloodsucking cretins lurking outside our door. I don't know how I'll bear it. My nerves will be torn to shreds within the first week and I hope your father will be able to look me in the eye then and justify what he's done!"

At that point, Annie's dad snored loudly and moaned, drawing a glance of disgust from her mom. Annie still didn't turn; she didn't want to look away until they reached the North. She wanted to always remember beauty when she was forced to live in the dark. Behind her, her mom shuffled and continued to complain in hopes of waking her husband. He on the other hand, was blissfully ignorant of her rants and was dreaming of all the pupils he would have. His hopes of continuing his profession in the North as a teacher was a naïve dream that he cradled and cherished.

"Annie, what can I do? Our home, all our lovely things that we had to leave. I don't remember saying goodbye to Mrs. Livingston! I do hope she won't think too ill of me, especially considering I'll be dead soon anyway. Oh, what a horrible place this will be!" Annie sighed and allowed a moment to mourn her past before she turned to comfort her fretting mom and wake her snoring dad.

**I was watching the incredibly awesome****_ North and South _****and I couldn't help imagining Mitchell as Mr. Thornton. And I love him and Annie together so of course she's my lovely heroine! If you haven't seen ****_North and South _****or ****_Being Human _****(the UK version aka the good version), then do so immediately! I swear, they're fantastic!**

**As always, reviews are much appreciated! Til next time!**


	2. Chapter 2

The train slowed to a stop as it pulled into the station. Annie rose from her chair and ran for the door, desperate to get some fresh air in her lungs. The doors opened and Annie ran out, throwing her head back as she gasped. Opening her eyes, she looked up into a dark sky. She knew it was day, but the smoke had covered the sun; she was now living in a world of endless night, it seemed. All around her, brick that had once been red was stained black. All the people around her seemed to be normal, but it was more than likely that they were all vampires returning to their homes after a holiday from the smoke.

Annie ran a hand through her shoulder-length brown hair, pulling at the curls as she fought to avoid the glances of the passing people. Behind her, she could hear her mother worrying over where they were to go; her father was trying and failing to sooth her. Annie turned, crossing her arms to brace herself for a sudden gust of cold wind that came through. "Don't worry, mom. Dad and I have already found some potential houses, so we'll start looking today. In the meantime, we can find a room in a hotel where we can stay."

Her mom looked up, a terrified look in her wide brown eyes. "You can't go, oh no! You'll be taken and eaten alive or forced to work in one of these horrible factories! We'll never see you again!"

"Nonsense. I'll be fine! Besides, if I put my hood up, no one will know the difference. I'll be safe and we'll be able to find a house faster than if dad were to go alone. You know this to be true; don't shake your head at me. I'll be fine; my cell's always on so I'll call when I find something or if I should need help." Picking up her suitcase that had been brought out by her dad, she walked out with her parents to see the world that they had sacrificed all for.

It was crowded, cold and very dark. An eye used to sunlight would swear that it was night; Annie double-checked her watch to make sure that it was day. At only 3:30 on a fine summer day, it looked and felt like a late winter's night. Annie's hand tightened on the handle of her suitcase as she shuddered. She could see it in the faces of everyone around her the clear difference between the warm bodies of the South and the cold ones of the North. "Annie, this way!" She turned to see her father waving a few feet down the street, a smile clear on his face.

Annie was happy that he could be so easy about this change, but she could not. It all felt so utterly wrong. Holding her coat closed with her other hand, she ran to catch up. They quickly found a cheap hotel to stay; they left Mom at home while Annie and her dad separated to search out the potential homes. There was one that Dad had taken a liking to in a small corner of town called Nosfy Heights. It was one of the few places in town that was as far from the factories as one could get; it already had Annie's hearty approval.

Following the street signs and the GPS on her phone, Annie didn't want to admit to herself that she was scared. She was a human at prime age, walking alone in a city full of vampires. Her mom's words rang in her ear, but she shook her head and kept walking. Once a house was found, they would be safe. Eventually, she came upon the address of the house. It wasn't grand like their home in Willowpoint, but it was suitable.

Smoke-stained steps led up to a dark red door. On either side of the door were windows that were surprisingly clean. There were three other floors as there were three rows of two windows above the door. The house itself was a fine gray brick façade. Walking up the stairs, Annie knocked but then just opened the door when she received no reply. The house was quiet except for a slight murmur; there were people upstairs.

Looking up, Annie saw no one, so she supposed that they had to be in one of the rooms. Taking the stairs two at a time, Annie found the source of the murmuring in a sitting room on the third floor. There were two men, one very gruff indeed and one that sounded slightly feminine.

"Strange business, this. He was a teacher in the South. A grand mortal, in his own mind."

"And they've just up and packed themselves here? Seems silly that mortals would come here _willingly_."

"No idea. All I know is that the father uprooted his wife and daughter and dragged them up here. Maybe there was a bit of wandering hands, what do you say?"

"That would explain why he would come here. In their world, such things are utter crap. Here…well, no one will mind much if bad habits resurface if you know what I mean!"

Annie could bear it no longer. Stepping into the room, she stared the two men down. They were both twice her height and looked up at her in surprise. The one with the gruff voice spoke to her first. "May I help you, miss?"

"You may. I'm Annie Sawyer and my family and I have moved up here from the South. Who are you?"

The gruff one pointed to himself. "I'm Mr. Friedrickson, manager to Mr. Mitchell's factory. That's Mr. de Canne." The one that had the feminine voice bowed his head, looking contrite that they had been caught gossiping by one of those involved.

"A pleasure, I'm sure." Annie said sarcastically. "This looks like a fine place. If you would be so kind as to get the papers I need, I'll take them to my dad to sort."

The feminine-voiced man spoke next. "No worries miss. Mr. Mitchell is handling all of that. You and your father may rest assured. He has your best interests in mind."

"I do not know this Mr. Mitchell nor does he know us. You will take me to him. Now. I wish to speak with him."

The gruff one looked flustered and scrambled to catch her as she turned to go down the stairs. "Miss, please. Mr. Mitchell is a busy man! He cannot be disturbed today!"

Annie huffed and flung the door open, waiting for the gruff man outside. He ran out to find her tapping her foot lightly, arms cross and eyes blazing. Inside, Annie was furious and she was desperately fighting to keep it hidden; she knew she was failing miserably. Tilting her head in the direction she assumed was the way to the factory, she spoke impatiently. "If this Mr. Mitchell can find the time to concern himself with finding us a house, then he can take the time to see me. Lead the way Mr. Friedrickson."

**First off, a major thanks to those that are now following this story! I hope you won't be disappointed! **

**Second, I do sincerely hope that I may get some reviews soon for this. Truly, it does affect the writing and the overall outcome. A review can be one word like "awesome," "ok," "sucks eggs," I don't mind (though I do like hearing opinions expressed!) They inspire me and let me know that people do care!**

**Third, I'm majorly excited to bring Mitchell into this story. He's a fine piece of Irish vampire and it's gonna be exciting to make him get his happily ever after (or not, you never know ;P)**

**Well, I think that's all! Til next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

Mr. Friedrickson fought to keep up with Annie's swift stride. She was smaller than him, and human to boot, but she was a fast little thing. Running to keep up, all he could do was point the way to the factory and open the gate to the courtyard when she approached. "Please miss, I speak honestly, Mr. Mitchell can't see anyone!"

"Then I'll wait. Take me to his office and tell him I'm here."

Mr. Friedrickson sighed and ran a hand through his thinning gray hair. Shrugging a shoulder, he pointed the way to the office from the courtyard. Annie took a moment to look around at the bustling atmosphere of the factory. There were people running around, carrying huge boxes on their shoulders. She was further stunned to notice that they were all vampires. This Mr. Mithcell, whoever he was, had vampire workers, not humans.

She felt a slight tugging on her elbow and allowed herself to be led to a building on the opposite side of the courtyard. There was a large wooden staircase on the side of it; leading up to what she assumed was the office. She went first, not bothering to look to see if she was being followed. Opening the door, she looked in to see that it was indeed the office; it also held no personality, nothing to indicate what sort of man did his business from here.

"If you'll sit and wait here, I'll fetch the master for you. But please, stay here." Annie nodded and sat in a chair by the door. Mr. Friedrickson shut the door and she could hear as he stomped down the stairs. She didn't care that he was clearly annoyed; he had no right to speak of her family as he had and this Mr. Mitchell had no right to take control. Looking back at the clock, she was stunned to see that an hour had already gone by and she had yet to see anyone.

Pushing herself off the chair, she walked over to the window and looked out over the hustle and bustle happening in the courtyard. It was chaotic yet there was a flow to it that assured the work got done. Against her will, she was impressed, but that was quickly overshadowed by her anger. She had been blown off. Bracing herself, she stormed out of the office to see if she could find Mr. Mitchell for herself.

She had to weave her way through the crowd. There were more than a few suspicious glances in her direction, but she wasn't stopping. Walking through the door that she noticed many workers were using, she followed the crowd. As she got closer to one door, she heard the loud roar of machinery. Annie was forced to hold a hand over her mouth and nose to keep a majority of the smoky air from getting in.

The smoke got thicker as she got closer to the door. No one made a move to open the door, so she braced herself and used her full strength to push the heavy metal door open. What she saw took her breath away. The room was a soft gray color due to the smoke filling the room. There were hundreds of machines pouring, stirring, bottling, labeling bottles of what Annie had no doubt was blood. Between the rows and other spaces, more vampire workers were rushing back and forth. The noise was deafening, but she couldn't help but keep walking.

Looking at all the machinery in the room, she almost didn't notice the man that rose above them all. She did though, as was taken aback. He was a handsome man; shoulder-length, curly black hair, pale skin, dark brown eyes, and a tall, lean body. He was handsome to be sure and Annie hated the small moment when her heartbeat sped up. But all that changed in an instant.

She noticed that one worker was walking slowly, scoping out the workers. His hand was hidden in his pocket and Annie felt her eyes focus on the man. She didn't notice as another pair of eyes also focused on him. "Jaggatt! I see you there!" The man looked up and wasted no time in starting to run, the handsome man jumpng down the stairs to take off after him. They both quickly ran by her; Annie got a sinking feeling that she should follow. She could hear angry yells of "Jaggatt!" ahead of her.

She ran into an area that she was surprised was full of human workers, but there was something even more astonishing. The man known as Jaggatt was being punched and kicked by the man that Annie decided was no longer handsome. He just kept punching and kicking the defenseless man. She didn't think as she stepped forward, pulling at the assailant. His head turned and she slapped him. His eyes closed as he took the blow, but his body forcibly stiffened.

He turned his head slowly and opened his eyes. There were a few heavy strands of hair plastered on his face, a result of the fight, but through the strands she could still see his eyes. They were completely black, the kind of eyes she had seen in books when she had looked up sharks. These eyes regarded her with coldness and a bit of angry madness. His mouth was open to reveal two sharp canines; his fangs. Annie stepped back, suddenly afraid. The man on the floor started crawling away, causing the vampire to swiftly turn. "Yes, yes crawl away! Crawl away like the pathetic being you are!"

"Please sir, I beg forgiveness! My family will starve! We'll have no choice!"

"Better to starve than be ripped apart!"

Annie gasped and those cold eyes once more fell on her. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Annie spoke, forcing out the words. "I'm Annie Sawyer." Right at this point, Mr. Friedrickson ran up and tried to pull her from the room. "Miss, come!"

"What is this woman doing here? Get her out!"

Annie had never felt as scared as the moments when she felt those eyes on her. She allowed Mr. Friedrickson to pull her away, he still repeating his wish of "come away!" She couldn't help but stare at the back of the vampire that had since turned away, looking after his victim. At the last moment, Annie felt her eyes move to take notice of a human woman sitting at a table, staring at her sadly and intently.

**Another chapter, and we finally get to meet the handsome Mr. Mitchell. He's a bit of a meanie at first, but no worries! He'll be back to his lovable self in no time! **

**I would also like to think everyone that has reviewed, favorited and/or followed the story. You guys are the best! **

**If you lovely readers have time, please just send a review my way so I know what's good or bad. It really helps and makes me happy :)**

**Til' next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

After only a week, Annie was able to send for their maid from Willowpoint. Anyone that knew Pickering knew she was a tough, but loyal woman. Standing at only 5', she was substantially shorter than the family she worked for, but her robust figure made her a fine worker. With her blond hair and fair skin, she stood out from them, but she didn't notice. Pickering considered herself as much a member of the family as if she had been born into it. She was fiercely loyal, having first served Annie's mother in her youth and then going on to share some of the responsibility of raising Annie.

Pickering wasted no time in catching a train to be reunited with her mistress and Miss Annie. Vampires didn't frighten her; on the contrary, the distance from her family was what frightened her most. She braved the long journey away from Willowpoint to Veinia, the city that her mistress had been dragged to. Receiving a warm welcome at the door by Annie, she was greeted with open arms from her dearest Annie and her lovely mistress.

Once Pickering arrived, life in their home in Nosfy Heights regained some semblance of normalcy. Annie still insisted on helping Pickering with some of the household duties, but her mother left such work to them, instead settling on easier pastimes. With the bigger house, Pickering hinted that it might be helpful if she could be left in charge of finding someone to help her manage the house. Annie's father allowed it, reminding her that the wages would be small. Such a task in Veinia is not an easy one, as Annie was often informed.

There were few human women to be found, and those sneered at the small wages they would receive on the job, saying that they could get better working in one of the factories or even giving themselves to the bloodletters. No one in the family made any comment when Pickering one day put a stop to the search; to point out such a failing would certainly wound her pride beyond all repair, which would be unforgivable.

It was a sunny day when Annie and her mother found out the truth. Now, it must be known that a day being called sunny in Veinia isn't the same as a sunny day anywhere else. To look out the window, one could swear it was still night. However, this day resembled more of an early dusk, bringing some natural light to the dark corners of the city. To celebrate such a change in the weather, Annie and her mother celebrated by opening the curtains just a bit and sitting in the parlour. Annie took to reading a book that she had discovered abandoned when they moved in; it was called _North and South _by some woman named Elizabeth Gaskell. Annie was deeply amused to note how similar her life had become to that of the main heroine.

Her mother, in a chair opposite Annie's, had taken to sewing as she claimed it calmed her frazzled nerves. Annie couldn't understand such a boring hobby, but she still encouraged it if it brought a smile to her mother's face. Annie looked up briefly when she heard Pickering stamping up the stairs, muttering to herself. Stamping into the room, her mutterings became louder. "Can't think what Master Sawyer was thinking of, dragging us all down here to this God forsaken place. Now there's gossip everywhere about us. It's enough to drive anyone to one of those bloodsuckers, just to find some peace." By now, both Annie and her mother were avidly listening, shocked. Pickering didn't notice as she stamped out of the room, still muttering to herself.

"Annie? What does she mean?" Annie could only look; she too was horrified that still there were rumors spreading about them. At that moment, her father walked in, looking at some books in his hand. Annie looked down at her hands while her mother looked after him, desperate to see if he had answers. "My dear, there are rumors spreading about us. Rumors about why we came here. Do you know of these?" Annie's father looked up, a somewhat bored expression on his face.

"Truly, I have not."

"Please, remind me why we are here. There must be a good reason why we have had to come to such an awful place and leave everything."

He sighed and dropped the books on his chair. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a letter. Opening it, he handed it to his fretting wife. She grabbed it and made short work of reading it, concern and disbelief filling her eyes. Looking up at him, she held the letter out to him as if she was holding something repulsive. "Is that all?"

He nodded and she stood slowly, shock clearly settling in. "You moved us away from everything to this awful place because you were requested to no longer teach the old writings?"

"I couldn't allow myself to be dictated to by someone so much younger than me, and clearly uncultured. He wrote as if writers like Plato and Aristotle were useless."

She backed away from him, horror clear on her face. "So we had to leave…because of your pride."

He inhaled, slightly offended at the jab, but he reached for her. She slipped from his grasp, backing out of the room. "It wasn't like that, really."

"You have brought us here to teach something to these people that they don't want to learn. There are probably hundreds of vampires here that have learned it already hundreds of years ago and there are maybe some that lived it themselves. None of these people care to learn! They only care about blood, money, and smoke. It's become as vital to them as the air is to us. We have no place here, and now we're stuck. Forever."

She stifled a sob with her hand, running up the stairs to her room. Annie jumped when a door slammed above them. Her father looked a little sad, but Annie offered no comfort. The shock at his words had set in and it had made her numb. Her hands dangled uselessly between her legs, her book fallen at her feet, long forgotten.

**For clarification, Pickering is Nina's last name so the maid is Nina. Why? They're both loyal and little firecrackers! I wouldn't want to piss off Nina or Dixon, the maid from ****_North and South_****. At least, not without making a will first.**

**Also, I noticed I never gave the North city a name, which is a big oopsie on my part. I was originally going to go with a shortened version of Transylvania (Vania) but then I thought people might think of other Vania's (Pennsylvania, I'm looking at you!) And then I thought of Veinia. Same sound, but veins=blood=vampires. Well, it sounded better in my head!**

**I'm totally excited about how people like this story! It makes me happy inside :) Still, I do like when reviews come in. It shows me how much people care and it really helps out when writing! So please, just scroll on down and type in a little message in that review box. It'll really help me out and only help to improve the story for you.**

**Til next time!**


	5. Chapter 5

_My dearest Lia,_

_I was so happy to receive your last letter. I can't even begin to convey the loneliness that one feels in Veinia. The people have little time for each other, and find that they don't want to make the time if they could. Oh, how I miss Willowpoint, and you! How have you been? Aunt wrote and told us everything about the wedding and your honeymoon, but I would rather hear it from you! _

_Since I wrote the last bit, I encountered a very strange person. I had been walking to the post office to continue this letter when I was foolishly caught in release time. This is when all the workers are let out for the day. From the factories, there is only one pathway used by the workers to go to their homes; I now know this having decided to walk this very same path. I was pushed and shoved so violently that I felt sure to fall down the stairs and split my skull on the street._

_Suddenly, I felt these hands grabbing at me, pulling me along with the crowd. Oh, what cold hands they were too! This horrible vampire was going to drag me off and do away with me, I was sure. When I had given up all hope of survival, I felt these two warm hands reach around me to remove the cold ones from my body. The person with the warm hands stepped around me and pushed the offending vampire away, shielding me from any further harm. He escorted me down the stairs and brought me out onto another street, hailing a cab for me. _

_I tried to pay him, but he would take nothing. I took a moment to look at my rescuer, and I must say he was surprising. He was a tall fellow, but deceivingly thin. I suspected there was much muscle in that small build to be able to defend me against the vampires. His hair was short and blond, and his eyes were sad, as if he carried the weight of the world in his heart. Since he would not take payment, I asked him his name and he said, in a very kindly but impatient voice, "George Sands miss, but you'll not remember me," and walked away. _

_Lia, I can hardly write how grateful I was. I do hope I may see him again so that I can thank him properly. Please, write to me soon and tell me all the news of you and your new husband! I long to hear happier news from good people!_

_From your ever loving cousin,_

_Annie_

Annie smiled and folded the paper, putting it in the envelope and sealing it. Bundling her coat tight around her, she slipped it in the post master and left. It was a short walk to her house, for which she was very grateful. It wasn't long before she wished that it was a longer walk. Hurrying into the house, she could hear the muffled voice of her father talking to someone whom she assumed was one of his students. She snuck up and listened for a moment at the door before she heard her father call out to her.

She opened the door, smiling at him until she saw who it was he had been speaking to. The figure rose, his body taller and more muscular than she had originally thought. However, she was pleased to note that she felt no tingle of appreciation. He turned, the gaze of his dark eyes falling on her, a note of recognition filling them. He knew her and she very well knew him.

"My dear, I'd like to present my pupil, Mr. Mitchell. This is my daughter, Annie."

"I fear Mr. Sawyer that your daughter and I have already met."

"Yes, and under very unpleasant circumstances which I would rather forget." Mr. Mitchell looked at her darkly, a shadow falling over his face. She inwardly congratulated herself on the success of a well-placed jab to his pride. He quickly recovered, she was disappointed to notice. "Yes, I must agree. You caught me in the moment of disciplining a troublesome worker."

"A troublesome worker? I saw you beat a man that is not your equal in age or strength. He was human sir, and stood no chance against you."

"You misunderstand. This man that you say was so defenseless was not. He is indeed human and is therefore expected to stay in the human section of the factory. I keep them there for protection from some of my other workers. He was in an area of the factory he should not have been and what you did not see was that he had a stake in his pocket."

"Maybe it was rightfully needed. It certainly didn't deserve the beating that he received."

"A stake is not needed if he keeps to his side of the factory. My rules are strict, but I have them for a reason. The man you defend so passionately has a history of staking. You never really understand the need for rules until you see the result of one man's need to drive a stake into the heart of another. I had to watch as some of the best workers I had ever known were destroyed and hundreds of bodies were laid out on the hill, their throats torn out in revenge and bloodlust. Oh yes Miss Sawyer, maybe he hadn't deserved it, but better to act than risk the lives of my workers."

At this point, Mr. Mitchell was clearly frustrated. Sighing deeply, he turned to Annie's father and made an excuse to leave. He made a point of mentioning that his mother would come and visit whenever it would be convenient. Annie's father affirmed, saying that they were always home. "Right, Annie?" Annie blushed as Mr. Mitchell turned to look at her once more, his dark eyes seemingly endless. He said no more, but made his exit to the apologies of her father. She had been humbled, but never would she admit it. He was a ruffian undeserving of praise. She decided that she disliked him intensely and ever would.

**Finally! Back to the sexy Mr. Mitchell! Oh, how I have missed him! And now George has joined in. For those that know the story, he's replacing Higgins, but for those that don't know, he's a pretty important character ;)**

**I've gotten a lot of great feedback for this story so thanks to everyone that's reviewed, followed, and/or favorited the story. Much love to you! But like any writer, I always appreciate more so I'm issuing a challenge. If I reach at least 10 reviews, I'll update the next day. Promise, corss my heart! Quickly, Mitchell's waiting!**

**Til next time!**


	6. Chapter 6

**So...I did say once I got 10 reviews, I'd upload the next day but I like this story too much to wait!**

* * *

**France, 5 years earlier**

_Annie looked on as her cousin Lia danced with her fiancé. Lia looked so happy, her face shining with joy. Her aunt was hosting this party to celebrate their engagement, but there was a hint of sadness to it. Lia knew that he would be going far away to fight some vampires in India and would be gone for some time. She didn't mind; it was his duty and he would return, especially now that he had her to come back to. At 15, Lia was considered old for marriage as human mortality was low, but she and her lover had waited until he felt sure that they could have a future._

_Many would think that Annie, then 18, was lonely now that her younger cousin was marrying, but it was not true. Annie had never thought of marriage; indeed, she was quite content to remain at Willowpoint with her parents. She was deep in thought, wishing to be away from the party and reading in her special place at Willowpoint, when her cousin Sykes approached her. She wasn't aware of it, but her cousin had loved her for years, often boasting as a young child that he would marry his "bootipul cosin Annie" when he was older. _

_"I believe you are quite bored with us, Annie." He smiled at her, eyes roaming her profile. She smiled, turning only a little. "Not at all, really. I'm just tired and too old for this. Look at me, dressed as I would have been if I was 10 years younger." Pulling a diamond clip from her hair, she clipped it into a younger girl's hair, smiling as the child went off to show her newly acquired treasure to her friends. "For my wedding, I would wish for nothing better than to enjoy the peace and quiet of a few friends at Willowpoint and then walk to the nearby church on a beautiful Sunday morning. It is paradise." Sykes froze, his heart racing. He felt certain that she had just dropped a hint for him._

_"A fine picture you paint, Miss Sawyer. Maybe I shall visit paradise, if you will allow me."_

_She smiled and laid a hand on his arm. "You will always be welcome Sykes. Always."_

**Willowpoint, a month later**

_Annie lay in the grass, basking in the sunlight. The sounds of the forest and the valley filled her ears; the nearby river, the birds, the occasional hum of a curious bee. She hadn't been wrong when she had told Sykes that this was paradise. She didn't notice as a shadow fell over her. "Miss Sawyer?" Annie started, her eyes opening. "Sykes, what…what are you doing here?" He dropped the suitcase he was holding, looking at her with a strange look on his face. She wasn't sure why, but it frightened her. "I have come to find paradise."_

_ He held out his hand to her, helping her to her feet. Drawing her arm though the crook of his, they walked back to Willowpoint. Along the way, they walked past the church that Sykes felt certain was the one she had talked of at his sister's engagement party. Leading her through the gate, he coughed to attract her attention. "Was this the church you were speaking of before?"_

_ "Yes, actually."_

_ "How would you like to walk to this church soon?"_

_ "Sykes, what…oh no."_

_ "Miss Sawyer…Annie. I have loved you for so long, since we were children! And I feel certain that you feel the same!"_

_ "Please! Stop—"_

_ "What?"_

_ "Please, just…don't keep talking. I can't say what you want me to say. I don't love you…like that. I never have and I feel certain I never could."_

_ By now, Sykes could feel the blood rushing to his face, a blush surely blooming. His heart was breaking, but he wouldn't let her see it. He said nothing, but just backed away from her, ignoring the look of hurt apology that she gave him. He would rather face a thousand hungry vampires than have her give him that look._

**Veinia, Present day**

It was another somewhat decent day, so Annie decided it would be a good time to take a walk. She had noticed a hill some distance outside of the city. She quickly noticed once she got there that it was a cemetery, row after row of small crosses dotting the hillside. This must hae been where they laid out the bodies that Mr. Mitchell had mentioned. At the thought f him, she huffed and forced herself to think of anything else.

Looking up, she noticed a solitary woman walking down the hill. Annie rushed to catch up, quickly recognizing the woman she had seen the day that person had beaten his worker. "Excuse me! Wait up!" The girl visibly slowed, half-turning to look behind her. She spoke with a subtle French accent. "Oh, it's you. The one that stood up to Mr. Mitchell. I remember you."

"And I you. My name is Annie Sawyer. And yours?"

"I'm Sasha." Suddenly, a figure approached them, wrapping his arm fondly around the girl. Annie was stunned to see that it was George Sands, the one who had rescued her from the vampire worker. He looked a bit surprised himself to see her there. "Well, never thought I'd see you again."

"Me too, but I do remember you. George Sands. And is this your wife? Girlfriend?" Both he and Sasha chuckled, walking away. Annie started and ran to catch up. Sasha spoke, still laughing, "Hardly, Miss Sawyer. He's my father." Annie blushed, ashamed at her blunder. George took pity on her, slowing their pace enough to allow her to catch up. "We must get back to work, Miss Sawyer but you're more than welcome to come visit us. That is, if you still remember us." They were still laughing as Annie watched them walk away, a picture of contentment in a world of danger.

When she got home, her mother was already awake and busy sewing. She was eagerly awaiting the arrival of Mrs. Mitchell, Mr. Mitchell's mother. Annie was told to hurry and get cleaned up before her arrival; she washed her hands and that was it. If Mrs. Mitchell wasn't yet used to the smell of smoke, then Annie felt nothing she could do would make much of a difference. They didn't have long to wait. Mrs. Herricka Mitchell, being a punctual woman since her 'birth' in the 14th century, took deep pride on always arriving on time. Looking out the window, Annie wasn't at all surprised at the woman that stepped out of the cab. She appeared to be tall like her son and sturdy. Her silver-streaked blond hair was piled on her head, and the voluminous black dress contrasted greatly with her pale skin. The girl that followed her was an anomaly.

She was shorter than her mother and very skinny. She too had blond hair, but it was the rich golden color of youth. Unlike her mother, her face was free of the wrinkles that come with years of hardship. She looked about her with a look of disgust and struggled to lift her long skirt from dragging on the streets. Annie supposed that this was probably the sister due to her strong resemblance to the mother. When both women entered the room, she introduced herself as Daisy Mitchell, a vampire since the early 18th century. For the rest of the visit, she spent her time glaring fixedly at Annie, mentally calculating and listing her many faults to share with her brother later.

There was little conversation to be had considering the differences between both sets of women. However, once a mention of her son was made, Mrs. Mitchell found her voice. She was proud of her son, harping on his abilities as a master as well as his abilities to make any woman fall in love with him. She said that since his birth in the 15th century, he had been the fancy of any woman he met. Annie was insulted at her insinuations. "Surely not every woman! I have met your son and I can assure you, I am not in love with him."

Mrs. Mitchell's bright blue eyes zoomed in on Annie, reminding her strongly of a pair of dark eyes that had done something similar. While Mr. Mitchell didn't look much like his mother, he did get his powerful gaze from her. From that point, the stay didn't last very long, Mrs. Mitchell too insulted to say much else to the two women in front of her. She stayed a few minutes more and then made her excuses, taking her daughter with her with the promise of inviting them to some gathering or other. Annie was relieved to be free of Mrs. Mitchell's overbearingness and the sister's cold scrutiny. Walking to the window, Annie laughed when she heard her mother's voice behind her, speaking softly and shakily, as if she had just lived from an awful fright. "Well, I'm glad that's over!" Annie couldn't agree more.

**I'm missing Aidan Turner! Darn it writer-self, bring him back soon!**

**_I am, I am. Gosh._**

**So since the last challenge worked out well, I'm issuing another one, pretty easy. If I reach 13-15 reviews, I'll upload soon after, 24 hours at most. I'll probably have the chapter written by then anyways so it'll be a quick reward! Many thanks to everyone that's reviewed/followed/favorited this story. Here's some more love and some Aidan Turner and Richard Armitage hugs!**

**Til next time!**


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Annie was determined to visit Sasha and George Sands. Pulling her coat on, she hurried out the door, not giving her mother time to try and convince her not to go. She would worry most assuredly, but nothing was going to stop Annie from visiting the only two people in the city that she wanted to know better. Walking down the street, she enquired about where she could find Mr. Sands; being directed by a rather sickly young girl, she was pointed to an area of the city that Annie was surprised to learn was entirely human. The name of the area was JM Quad, due to the fact that many of the workers in the area worked for Mr. Mitchell.

Eventually she found what she believed to be the door, knocking. It was opened by a tall boy with large eyes. Annie tried not to stare for on his head, he bore large scars where the hair did not grow. She asked if George Sands lived there; the boy nodded and allowed her in. She walked through and was pleased to see that Sasha was already there. The two girls smiled at each other and after Tom took Annie's coat, the two took to talking. They didn't notice George walking up until he barged in the door, clearly not expecting company beyond his family. He glanced at Annie before walking over to kiss Sasha's forehead and clap a hand on Tom's back.

Looking again at Annie, he spoke. "My girl said you would come and you did." Sasha turned towards her father who at that point had taken a seat by the small fire in the fireplace. "How did the meeting go?" George didn't respond, looking slightly suspicious at Annie. She chuckled and assured him that anything he said would be kept secret. "Besides, I don't have anyone to tell secrets to."

"I have heard word that your father knows some of the factory owners. Indeed, is rather thick-as-thieves with them."

"On the contrary. Mr. Mitchell is my dad's pupil, and he is no friend to me. Please, feel free to talk about whatever you wish in my presence, for I shall never speak a word of it outside of these four walls." George smiled, pleased at her answer and talked about what had been discussed at the meeting. "And how is Owen?" George looked rather low. "Owen is managing. We're helping him as best we can."

Annie looked confused, so Sasha clarified that Owen was their neighbor a few doors down from theirs. Annie felt pity for the man for if she supposed correctly, he had a sickly wife and at least six children. If what George was saying was true, the strike that he and the other non-workers were planning would bring tough times for Owen and others like him. It was tough for werewolves like George but it was even worse for the human workers, especially those that had children. They couldn't go onto the hills outside of the city and hunt something if they were desperate.

Meanwhile, things were normal at Mr. Mitchell's factory. Business was the same, his sister was signing badly upstairs, and his mother sat in the sitting room, repairing a piece of ripped linen. John Mitchell walked in, rolling his eyes at his sister, earning a shake of the head from his mother and a look of adoring affection. For one whole century, Herricka Mitchell had been alone, but then had had three glorious ones with her son before Daisy was born. John was her pride and joy, the epitome of success. Pulling on his coat and grabbing his lesson book, he told his mother that he would be with the Sawyers.

"And why should you have to go through such an effort for some runaway teacher?"

"Because he is a true gentleman among humans and his daughter and wife are ladies. They deserve some respect from us as I respect him greatly." When John had mentioned Miss Sawyer, Herricka had looked at her son coyly. He had noticed and smiled at his mother, amused at her teasing. "Don't worry mother. I face no danger from Miss Sawyer. She does not like me and besides, we vampires from the North displease her. Things are very different in the South. She would never have me."

Herricka stood, straightening his tie. Even though it was the 21st century, her son still dressed like a gentleman. It was a welcome change from the ridiculous fashion that they had seen in the last few decades. "And why should she turn her nose up at you? She's a nobody that acts like she's the heir to a kingdom. You are a successful business owner, handsome and well-liked. She doesn't deserve you and never shall." John smiled and kissed her cheek, leaving her alone to brood and think dark thoughts about a spoiled human.

Mr. Mitchell, like his mother, arrived at Nosfy Heights on time. The maid let him in and he walked to Mr. Sawyer's office. They discussed the lesson but then moved to a more comfortable location in the sitting room. They were surprised but welcomed the addition when Annie walked in, bringing a tray with a tea cup and a few cups with saucers. Pouring out some for her father and Mr. Mitchell, she quickly fell asleep listening to their talking. A few hours later, Mr. Mitchell looked up and remarked how "we are boring Miss Sawyer with our talk of Galileo and his inventions."

Struggling to sit up, she contradicted him and told him that she was just a little tired. Standing, she walked over to refill his cup. Mr. Mitchell, forgetting his earlier words to his mother, found himself captivated by her delicate wrists and long fingers. She wore a small ring on the pointer finger of her right finger and today wore a bracelet on her left arm that was too large. His eyes were drawn to it as it kept slipping down the skin. He was amused every time she pushed it up only to have it slide down again. The long veins in her hands and wrist drew him like a moth to a flame. He had a sudden urge to grab her and kiss the delicate skin.

His eyes were drawn up as she moved to hand him back his cup. In the process of taking the cup from her, his hand brushed hers and he was shocked at the burst of electricity he felt in his fingers. By the sudden widening of her eyes, she must have felt it too. This pleased him exceedingly. They continued to speak about Galileo's inventions but eventually it moved to such a topic that Mr. Mitchell mentioned that he was jealous of the humans in the South and how their life was so easy and carefree. Annie felt insulted so she would later come to find was unjustified since he had not insulted _her_, only the place she still called home.

"You are wrong Mr. Mitchell. While the South _is _different from the North, it is not as easy as you might think. We have our own hardships, our own problems that might seem silly to a vampire, but can mean a great deal to those that must live them. I am sorry sir, but I must say that you do not know the South and therefore have no right to judge." By this point, Mr. Mitchell looked a little angry, as he usually did. For a brief moment, Annie was almost sorry that the smiling, easy look he was just wearing was now gone. "I could also say that you do not know the North. We none of us can truly understand each other, but we can certainly try. Of course, that doesn't mean that _mistakes _and _misunderstandings _won't ensue."

Sighing, he rose and held out his hand. "Come Miss Sawyer, let us part friends. I am sure that after a closer acquaintance, we will not be such enemies. Come! Shake hands with me and let us begin anew." He was further insulted when Annie turned from him, ignoring his hand. Clenching the outstretched digits into a tight fist, he glared once more at her and bowed to her father, grumbling an invitation to dinner before leaving.

Once he was gone, Annie's father looked at his daughter with disappointment clear on his face. "Annie! Why did you not shake his hand?"

"Because…because such a man as him would never do something like that in France. All physical contact between vampires and humans is not allowed unless there is an _understanding_ between them."

"That is true, but things are different here. It is polite to take the offered hand, whether it is human or vampire. Since we are not his employees, it is expected."

"I'm sorry dad. I didn't know…and I was tired. I spent all day washing the curtains and vacuuming the rugs so that Mr. Mitchell would feel more at home. I am sorry that he just doesn't understand hardship." Her father sighed and told her to sit, pulling her to the chair where Mr. Mitchell had just been. "Mr. Mitchell does know hardship. When he was born, his father was still alive, but wasn't a large part of his son's life. When the daughter was born, the father saw fit to try and become more a part of their lives. He had started his own factory, but it didn't do as well as the one his son now runs. He invested a great deal of money into a scheme that failed, leaving him close to bankrupt. He became addicted to blood and had to be locked away. While incarcerated, he…he staked himself. He had become a fine parent to Mr. Mitchell, teaching him everything he could about running a business. If the factory is well managed, it is partly due to the lessons his father gave. So yes, I do believe he has his own experience with hardships."

By now, Annie was thoroughly ashamed. She apologized again, promising to apologize when next she saw him. Standing, she trudged up the stairs to her room. Closing the door behind her, she used a fist to muffle her sobs. She was tired, still a little angry, and now felt pity for Mr. Mitchell. She hated him and promised that while she would keep her promise to apologize, she would only do what was necessary to be considered polite. For her father's sake would she tolerate him, but inside she would consider him as nothing more than just another Northern vampire factory owner.

**As promised, here's the update! I kinda like this story so the updates are pretty quick haha Poor Mitchell! I'll like him even if Annie doesn't! *hugs Mitchell***

**To answer a question that alexiroseni had, the actor's name is Brendan Coyle. I know it's kinda tough to see Russell Tovey in the role, but they're both like the voice of reason among other reasons which I'll point out along the way (don't want to give away any spoilers!)**

**So since this challenge thing is actually working, here's another one. If I can get 16-17 reviews, I'll update within the next 24 hours from the post. Of course, it'll probably be updated within an hour or two, but always love to leave wiggle room just in case! So please, leave some reviews cause they make me happy, inspire me to update faster, and did I mention they make me happy? :3**

**Til next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Whelp, I am an awful updater, but better late than never!**

As the new day dawned, Mr. Mitchell found that he couldn't get that frustrating Miss Sawyer from his mind. She was so ignorant and quick to anger, but she was so beautiful and loyal as her defense of the South proved. Even when he knew he should focus on the other factory owners and their concerns over their workers, he found himself instead thinking of dark eyes turned bright with passion. Much to his surprise, he was pulled from his reverie to see the object of his stares glaring at him from the street below. He bowed his head slightly, eyes never leaving her; she puffed up and turned, stomping up the stairs to the meeting hall.

"Mitchell? Are you listening?" A big hand clamped down on his shoulder, dragging his attention from her departing form. His eyes slowly traveled to Seth Grafton, the only man that had any sense in this room beyond Mr. Mitchell himself. "We were speaking about the strike." Mr. Mitchell scoffed, shrugging out of Grafton's grasp. Walking over to the table where other owners were arguing or waiting to hear his response, he slammed his hands down on the surface to gain all their attention. "If there is to be a strike, and I'm sure there will be, they will find a united front. They think they have a rough life with us. Wait until they get a taste of the real world. We offer protection, a livelihood for those that have only one other option: death. If we stand firm and do not give in, their protests will die and they'll either end it before it begins or not long after. Let them have their moment; they won't enjoy it for long."

His words were met with thumps of approval as canes and hands were smacked on the floor and table. Mr. Mitchell straightened and returned to his place at the window, his eyes wandering to where Miss Sawyer had been standing. Once this strike was dealt with, he would find much pleasure in helping her further understand the North. Who knows, she might even learn to like it.

* * *

Inside the meeting hall, there was chaos. Annie found her father sitting outside of his usual teaching room. He looked up when she approached, giving a smile while looking at the room at the end of the hall. "They needed the room. I have no idea what it is they could be talking of." Annie looked up and felt a shiver crawl up her spine when she heard yells filter through when the door was opened by latecomers. Something was wrong.

Within the room, human and werewolf workers alike were arguing amongst themselves. At the front of the room, George stood on the stage, calling attention. "Brothers! We have all decided that we can wait no longer. We have endured much at the hands of our 'masters' with little to show for it. If we wanted a life of servitude, we'd have settled for other ways of life. These masters think that because they are believed to be the better choice, they can do whatever they want and we'll stay out of gratitude." Applause and yells of agreement arose. George held up a hand and the crowd quieted. A hand rose and George nodded, handing the floor to the questioner. The crowd parted to show that it was Owen.

"It's easy for you. Your family is small and you can hunt when times become desperate. I have six little ones at home, the wife is ill, and I can already barely afford to support them. This strike will destroy us." George looked sympathetic but resolute. "For those of us that have _special _talents, we shall do what we can to help those that may be harder hit during this time. For those of you that find yourselves in similar positions as him do not hesitate to come to your brothers. Those of us that can manage it do not close your door to your neighbors. For unity, we must be strong within as well." Sounds of agreement were again heard and some clapped Owen on the back. The sound was again quieted by a raised hand and all eyes drew to George.

"When this begins, they will find a united front. They think that we can't handle the real world and that we have no chance of winning. We are not vampires, so we are not worthy of consideration and good treatment. No more! If we stand firm and do not give in, they will find that they have no choice but to give in. They will listen to us or find themselves bankrupt. Let them have their moment; they won't enjoy it for long. We will win and prove that we won't stand for their vampiric snobbery!" Cheers arose again, now no longer silenced. In the back, Owen looked sick.

* * *

Walking back from the meeting hall, her father insisted on stopping at a nearby bookstore. He went in while Annie stood outside. She smiled at those that passed but her smile froze and turned cold as she caught sight of familiar faces across the street. There was Mr. Mitchell, tall and proud walking beside a well-dressed man. While Mr. Mitchell had the look of a man that had known hard work, this man looked like a man of privilege and knew it well. He had a leash slung over his shoulder which was connected to a scuffed brown collar. Wearing the collar was Jaggatt, the man that Annie saw Mr. Mitchell beat that first meeting. She felt certain by his appearance that he was ill-used and most likely didn't have long for the world. She felt sympathy well in her heart for the poor man, now condemned; she also felt extreme hatred for the man's former master. His past employee walked behind him, ill and dying, and he walked as if he didn't notice.

Raising an eyebrow, Annie whispered, knowing that his sensitive hearing would pick up the words. "I hate you Mr. Mitchell, now and always." As she had supposed, the factory owner did hear and felt a stabbing pain in his gut. He wouldn't show it, oh no; on the outside, he was strong as ever. No one had to know that inside, he was feeling a pain such as he had never felt before. To a vampire that had not known such feelings for six centuries; the feeling could be mistaken as a stab to his pride. To one used to such feelings, it would be known as the beginnings of a broken heart.

Before bed, Annie began a letter to her cousin Lia, but fell asleep before she could finish. In the morning, she would do it, but for now she had vented enough. One passage was clearly defined, written in bold with some words underlined. _I do not like this place. It is __hell__, blood red and filled with the black smoke of industry. And you know I believe I have seen the devil himself. He tries to fool everyone around him and convince them of his goodness, but I am __not__ convinced. There is __nothing__ good about Mr. Mitchell!_

**I did try to update sooner, but with an RA essay to write, chores to be done, and appointments to keep, time just ran away from me like a bad child. Naughty! So here's a basket of apologies to everyone with some love thrown in!**

**Thank you to everyone that reviewed during my last challenge! You guys put a smile on my face and make me dedicated to keep going and give Mitchell a happy ending! Mitchell thanks you too!**

**Cause I'm kinda mean ;) I'll give another challenge. If I can get to 22-24 reviews, I'll update within the next 24 hours, Girl Scout promise! If you're too shy to review, thank you anyway for taking the time to read this chapter! Here's a little love for you guys too!**

**Til next time!**


	9. Chapter 9

More than anything, Annie truly didn't want to go, but it had to be done. Knocking on the door, she was allowed in by a servant and was told to wait in the sitting room. Prompt as always, Mrs. Mitchell walked in and seemed disappointed that Miss Sawyer was still waiting. "How may I help you, Miss Sawyer?"

"I was wondering if perhaps you could tell me the name of a good doctor here. We don't know anyone else here." Annie tried to sound polite, but it only came out sounding stiff. She didn't want to seem rude but she couldn't help but remember their last encounter. "I hope you are well." Mrs. Mitchell seemed less than concerned, but she felt it was only polite to check.

"I am, yes. I just thought it would be good to have a doctor, just in case. My mother hasn't been…very well since we came here. I don't wish to panic my father unnecessarily" Mrs. Thornton looked very unsympathetic, and mentioned that she was unused to people being ill, since vampires never really got ill. Annie glared at the woman and made to leave. Mrs. Thornton mentioned that she would send her own doctor over so that Annie could hive her firm approval. Annie noticed the hint of sarcasm, but chose to ignore it in an effort not to completely destroy the acquaintance.

"Thank you, Mrs. Thornton. I'm sure I and my family should be _very _grateful to you." Bowing her head only a little, Annie swept from the room. _I really do hate that girl_ Mrs. Thornton thought with a frown. Annie, meanwhile, found that her thoughts ran a very similar path. Any moments that she spent in the company of that woman always put her in a very bad mood. Mr. Mitchell certainly came from a family of unpleasant people. She was even more disappointed when the subject of her thoughts seemed to suddenly appear in front of her. He looked at her as if he was hunter who had finally caught his prey and was looking forward to playing with it first.

"Why Miss Sawyer, what have we done to earn the privilege of a visit from you?" Annie smirked, earning a small chuckle from Mr. Mitchell. "For your information, I came to speak to your mother. I was wondering if she could recommend a good doctor." Mr. Mitchell's smile quickly fell and he stepped forward. Annie was slightly taken aback at the look of sheer concern that had come over his eyes. "Are you ill?" Annie took a step back, suddenly very uncomfortable. She shook her head since she found that suddenly words had failed her. Just like that, the look of amusement was back on his face. Just to wipe that grin of his face, she spoke with a voice filled with ice.

"Tell me, Mr. Mitchell, how do you feel about the strike that I hear is to occur? Do you know the reason why they feel the need?" Mr. Mitchell's smile stayed, but it hardened and his eyes grew hard. Annie inwardly congratulated herself on finding a weak spot to him. Let him mock her now! "I'm not sure what you know, Miss Sawyer but it is none of your concern. The workers in the factories feel the need to rebel and cause trouble so they will do it no matter what. My only concern is to keep my factory running." Annie took a deep breath, only slightly ashamed to notice that she had been holding her breath.

"Mr. Mitchell, perhaps you ought to care what they do once they walk out of those factory doors. Maybe if you had cared, your workers would not feel the need to join in and 'cause trouble' as you say. If they didn't feel that the only way to get your attention would be to do something extreme, I know they would not be doing this."

"Miss Sawyer, I am not their father, brother or son. I have no say in what they do once they leave. If I did, then perhaps you would then chastise me for trying to control them, for stepping past the bounds of what is polite." He leaned forward slightly, his eyes holding hers. "I am certain that there is nothing I could ever say or do that you would look favorably on. You do not like me, Miss Sawyer, so there is nothing good I can ever do. So, instead of giving up, I settle on what _I_ believe to be best."

He leaned back and crossed him arms, a barrier between his body and hers. "Try not to judge me too harshly. I do what I can with what I am given. This is a double-edged sword Miss Sawyer. These people have the idea of a strike settled in their blood. No matter what I could have done, nothing would have stopped them once it had. Please excuse me. I can see that your hatred of me is now blocking any words I may say." Annie looked away, ignoring him as he took one last look at her before leaving. If she had bothered to turn, she would have seen regret and apology in his face, but she didn't and the feelings quickly vanished.

Like any time she had been filled with anger once her family had arrived here, she quickly found her way to the Sands' home. At this time, Sasha should be home; the young werewolf had become like a voice of wisdom for her. As she thought, Sasha was at home when she knocked on the door. Annie was let in and the two girls talked over a couple cups of coffee. Suddenly, Sasha started to cough, a sound that came from deep within and possessed her whole body. She braced herself on a chair as the cough racked through her body. Annie looked concerned at her dear friend. She had noticed before that Sasha would have violent coughing fits that would leave her gasping for breath hours after. However, it seemed to be getting worse every time it happened. "Are things really as bad as that?"

Sasha slumped down in her chair, holding a hand over her chest. Annie waited patiently while her friend collected her breath. "It's all the smoke. It's gotten into me lungs. Happened long ago, back when I was a girl and worked in another factory. Once Da found out, he moved me to Mitchell's factory. Said to be the best for a worker; the conditions are terrible in any of the other factories. In return, Da took my place. Unfortunately, the damage has been done. The smoke is stuck in there no matter how much I might cough. It's not bad really. At least I won't have to live to see myself grow old and ugly." Annie frowned and closed her eyes, not wanting to have those images in her head. A world without Sasha seemed impossible now.

"Don't joke about it. Don't even talk about it. Not now, at least. Let us talk of funnier things!" Annie told Sasha of how Mrs. Mitchell had been barely polite when she had visited that morning and had seemed to take offense when Annie had said what she had about Mr. Mitchell in front of her. "I'm sure with a son like Mr. Mitchell; his mother can't help but be proud and vulture-like. He is the fancy of every woman in the city!" She joked with a wide smile, her eyes crinkling; Annie noticed there were laugh lines along her mouth.

Sasha's lungs couldn't handle the laughing so Sasha was once more coughing and clutching at her chest. Annie stood and went over. She stood over her friend and rubbed her back soothingly. This coughing fit thankfully ended quicker than the one before, but it was obvious that the two fits had taken their toll on Sasha. Gasping for breath, she jokingly said, "Since I won't be having children, it's nice to see how others do it. Living precariously through others and all that. But I think if your mother had had a son, maybe she and you would be more tolerant of Battle Axe Mitchell."

"She does. Have a son, I mean. I have a brother." Sasha leaned back and looked into Annie's eyes, confusion clear. Spinning around in her chair, she grabbed Annie's hand and squeezed. "Why didn't you say anything about it before?"

"We're not supposed to talk about him. When we were younger, he wanted to fight for the cause against the vampires. He finally got his chance when he turned 19, so he took it. I was devastated when Ivan left, but this made him happy. However, he met with trouble when his group leader turned out to be a worse monster than the vampires. He not only wanted to go after the male adults, he wanted to destroy women and children too."

"My brother, even though a fighter against the vampires, he thought that this was wrong. He was not alone in these beliefs, so they all gathered and plotted to take down their leader. They beat him pretty badly, but left him alive in an alleyway. Someone found him and he was able to name everyone that had conspired against him, including my brother. Every paper in the country listed the names of the traitors. It almost destroyed my parents when they saw his name. The last time we heard from him, he was somewhere in India."

Sasha sighed, smiling widely. While Annie had been talking, she had moved forward in her seat. Now that the story was done, she leaned back in her chair, a content look on her face. "India? That's lovely. Maybe you'll see him again and you can escape with him there. Run away from the smoke and disagreeable Mitchell's and live somewhere beautiful." At that, Annie remembered her lovely Willowpoint. However, that was her past; she had to look forward. This brought a sad smile to Annie's face.

**Crikey, I haven't updated this in a while! So sorry! Just finished my first official day of classes in the new semester today so decided to celebrate with some yummy Mitchell-ness. It also helped that I saw an interview he did for The Hobbit. That man...needs to be mine!**

**No challenge today. I'm giving them up since I feel like a worse tyrant than Annie thinks is! So I'll just ask that you please review! I become inspired then to make time for my lovely readers and update quicker! Much love and thanks to everyone that's reviewed so far. 3 you!**

**Til next time!**


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